University of Wyoming hosts Pink Prom Nov. 2 in Union Ballroom

From a UW press release:

Friday Night Fever, Spectrum, and ASUW are co-sponsoring a Pink Prom at 8 p.m. on Friday Nov. 2, in the Union Ballroom.

Pink Proms have the purpose of creating a welcoming atmosphere for the GLBTQ community who may have not had a friendly experience at high school proms. The dance will be themed as a fall festival prom and will last until midnight.

Additionally the movie “The Campaign,” staring Will Ferrell and Zach Galifianakis, will be showing in the Union Family Room at 6:30, 9:00, and 11:30 p.m.

For more information on the Friday Night Fever events please visit www.uwyo.edu/cac. Information about Spectrum can be found at uwacadweb.uwyo.edu. Information regarding ASUW can be found at www.uwyo.edu.

This event is sponsored by Friday Night Fever, Spectrum and ASUW. Individuals needing assistance to attend this event should contact the Campus Activities Center at (307) 766-6340.

Oct. 25 banquet in Laramie raises funds for women's education in Tanzania

October 19, 2012 — A University of Wyoming cross-cultural communication class will host a banquet to raise money and general awareness for the women of Tanzania Thursday, Oct. 25, from 7-10 p.m. at the Laramie train depot.

Women’s Education and Economic Centre (WEECE) Director Valeria Mrema will lead the discussion on gender equality and the economic stability of Tanzanian women. WEECE, a nonprofit organization that supports marginalized women and their families in the Kilimanjaro region of Tanzania, joins the UW students to raise money.

“It is common in the Kilimanjaro region for girls to be uneducated or only educated through primary school,” Mrema says. “This limited education undermines women in their ability to be economically self-reliant; in their having the knowledge, skills and ability to exercise their rights; and in their ability to foster a healthy future for themselves and their children.”

Proceeds collected from the event will go toward expanding existing girls’ schools. Contributions purchase educational materials such as books, paper and writing utensils for the future education of Tanzanian women and children.

Catered appetizers and refreshments will be provided. The Wyoming African Students Association (WASA) and the UW Belly Dance Club will provide entertainment for the evening.

Tickets cost $15 for students, $25 for non-students and $40 for couples. Five tickets can be purchased together for $100. Children 12 and under are admitted for free. To purchase tickets and for more information, call Sierra Johnson at (307) 760-5440 or email teamingupfortanzania@gmail.com. Tickets also will be sold at the door.

The UW cross-cultural communication class also has held benefits for a water spigot in Botswana during 2011 and a silent auction for Kenyan orphans in 2010.

The UW African American & Diaspora Studies department sponsors this event. For more information, contact Tracey Patton at (307)766-3857 or teamingupfortanzania@gmail.com.

Photo: It is common in the Kilimanjaro region for girls to be uneducated or only educated through primary school.

FABulous Women's Art Show opens Oct. 13

FMI: http://www.worksofwyoming.org/

Anti-racist author and educator Tim Wise is keynote speaker for 16th annual UW Shepard Symposium

From a UW press release:

Tim Wise, anti-racist essayist, author and educator, is the keynote speaker Wednesday, March 28, for the University of Wyoming's 16th annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice. Wise will speak from 4:30-6 p.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. "Identities: Dismantling the Boxes" is the theme of this year's Shepard Symposium, which runs March 28-31.

Wise, who is among the nation's most prominent anti-racist writers and educators, has been called "one of the most brilliant, articulate and courageous critics of white privilege in the nation," by best-selling author and Georgetown University Professor Michael Eric Dyson.

Wise is the author of six books, including the highly acclaimed memoir, "Affirmative Action: Racial Preference in Black and White"; an essay collection, "Between Barack and a Hard Place: Racism and White Denial in the Age of Obama"; and his recent book, "Dear White America: Letter to a New Minority."

In 1997, former UW College of Education faculty members Omawale Akintunde and Margaret Cooney organized the first symposium, then called "The Symposium for the Eradication of Social Inequality." Since then, the symposium has evolved into a major national conference that engages participants in discussion and analyses of strategies and actions that can eliminate social inequality.

Honoring the work of the Shepard family and the memory of their son, Matthew Shepard, a UW student and social activist who was murdered in 1998, the symposium's name was changed in 2002. That spring, the Shepard Symposium received funding from an anonymous endowment given to UW to pursue social justice activities throughout the campus.

The symposium is a living reminder of the need for information and dialogue about social justice concerns in America and beyond.

"We want people to deconstruct and interrupt the ways in which proscriptive identities are forced upon members of marginalized groups by society," says Chair Angela Jaime in explaining the latest theme for the symposium. "Specifically, we hope that attendees will critically examine the ways in which society forces people to identify with certain membership groups."

Various presentations will be made during the symposium. Highlights include:

Beth Loffreda, UW Department of English associate professor, will present the plenary speech, "The Consequences of Identity," at the noon luncheon Thursday, March 29, in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. She is the author of "Losing Matt Shepard."

Bridget Kisling, a junior music therapy and psychology student at Anna Maria College (Paxton, Mass.), will use a life-size version of the 1950s Barbie doll to shed light on how the media plays a significant role in shaping a young girl's sense of body image. Her presentation is Friday, March 30, 1:45-3 p.m., in the Wyoming Union Big Horn Room.

An endnote student panel discussion, "Boxed In," will be presented Friday, March 30, at 11:30 a.m. in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. UW students will discuss complex and misunderstood identities.

The second annual Shepard Symposium Friday Night Party is from 10 p.m.-1:30 a.m. at the Library Bar and Grill. All proceeds benefit the recognized student organizations that have contributed time and efforts to the Shepard Symposium. Tickets are $5 at the door or $4 in advance, and can be purchased at the symposium.

For more information about the Shepard Symposium, visit the website at http://www.shepardsymposium.org/, or contact Jaime at (307) 766-3991 or email jaimea@uwyo.edu.

Photo: Tim Wise will be the keynote speaker for the 16th annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice.

See it now -- Gov. Matt Mead's "State of the Arts" speech

2. Gov. Mead State of the Arts from Indie Media: The New Journalism on Vimeo.

P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers step up Jan. 18 at UW to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy

From a UW press release:

In celebration of the Martin Luther King Jr. Days of Dialogue, the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers will perform a free show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.

Meaning "Participating in the Lives Among Youth to Educate and Restore Society," the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club Steppers (PCS) perform shows using dance as inspiration. Having begun in 1996 in the Bronx, the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers perform to entertain but also to educate. Much of their dancing originates from slavery; when slaves were unable to speak while working they would use stepping to communicate with each other.

"We discussed quite a few different options for this year's SAC event during MLK Days of Dialogue, and wanted to have some sort of performance, whether that would mean music, dance, or some other more artistically focused presentation," says Stephanie Long, SAC graduate assistant. "We wanted to offer a performance that still kept with the theme of the week, but offered a chance for the university community to take a breath from the heavy and important subject matter and just have some fun."

Not only have the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers performed in the White House, they have also gone on tour with popular musicians such as Alicia Keys, Usher and Ja Rule and have even been cast in the movie "Stomp the Yard." They also perform at colleges and universities.

For more information about the P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers, visithttp://www.gernyc.com/theplayersclubsteppers.html .

The show is sponsored by the Student Activities Council and Friday Night Fever. Individuals needing assistance to attend this event should call (307) 766-6340. For more information, visit www.uwyo.edu/sac .

Photo: The P.L.A.Y.E.R.S. Club steppers will perform a free show at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 18, in the Arts and Sciences auditorium.

Poetry slam champ Slam Nuba and hip-hop artist Lupe Fiasco headline MLK Days of Dialogue at UW

Sponsored by the University of Wyoming in Laramie:

The week's schedule:

Monday, Jan. 16
10 am – 4 pm • National Service Day
4:00 pm • MLK March – Albany County Courthouse
4:45 pm • Willena Stanford Supper – Wyoming Union Ballroom
Entertainment provided by WASA and the ARK

Tuesday, Jan. 17
12:00 pm – 1:30 pm • ECTL Book Discussion On That Day, Everybody Ate:
One Woman’s Story of Hope and Possibility in Haiti by Margaret Trost.
Registration required at www.uwyo.edu/ctl.
- Coe Library, Rm 506. Lunch provided.
12:15 pm – 1:30 pm • The Face of Discrimination Panel Discussion
- Union Family Room
4 pm – 6 pm • ‘Build 2020 w/ Molina Speaks’: Hip-Hop Workshop and Performance with Adrian Molina
- Union Family Room

Wednesday, Jan. 18
11 am – 1 pm • Local to Global Photo Exhibit Opening
- Union Art Gallery 234
3 pm • Opening the Tunnel of Oppression
- Union East Ballroom
8 pm • The Players Club – Step Performance
SAC Event - A & S Auditorium

Thursday, Jan. 19
12:15 pm – 1:30pm • Art Imitates Life Panel Discussion
- Union West Ballroom
3:30 pm – 5:00 pm • Chad Hymas, Motivational Speaker
- Union West Ballroom
7 pm • Hill Harper, Keynote Address
- A & S Auditorium

Friday, Jan. 20
12:00 pm – 1 pm • Poetry Slam Workshop with Slam Nuba
- Union West Ballroom
Sponsored by Residence Life & Dining Services
1:15 pm – 2:30 pm • Poetry Slam Open Mic with Slam Nuba
- Union Skylight Lounge
Sponsored by Residence Life & Dining Services
6:30 pm • Shadow Ball movie with Talk Back Session
- Union Family Room
Sponsored by Wyoming PBS
9:00 pm & 11:30 pm • FNF Movie: Circumstance
- Union Family Room
8:30 pm • Lupe Fiasco, Hip-Hop Artist
C&C Event – A & S Auditorium • Doors open at 8:00 pm
UW Student Tickets: $20 • Non-UW Student Tickets: $30

More info at http://mlkdod.wordpress.com/

Start planning now to attend the 30th annual Plains Indian Museum Powwow in Cody

30th Annual Plains Indian Museum Powwow
High Energy, History, and Fun!

June 16 – 17, 2012

Joe Robbie Powwow Garden
Grand Entries: Saturday, Noon & 6 p.m. and Sunday, Noon

Take part in the dancing, music, and energy of the Plains Indian Museum Powwow. Dancers, drum groups, and artists gather from across the Northern Plains to celebrate the vibrant cultural traditions and histories of the people of the Plains that are still present today. Our Powwow is not a demonstration but a competitive event that brings in talented dancers and drum groups who will show you what a Powwow is all about.

A popular educational program is the Powwow Learning Tipi. Gloria Goggles, a Lakota educator from Ethete, Wyoming, invites visitors to discover the traditions of powwow. Young visitors have the opportunity to try on different types of powwow clothing. The tipi provides a relaxed atmosphere to explore different powwow dance styles and their origins.

Over forty Native artists will have booths on the Powwow grounds, along with fry bread vendors and a grill menu and beverages in the concession stand.

Curious about the history of powwows and powwow dance styles? Our website is just the beginning to your powwow experience...

Admission Prices and Schedule

Gate opens to the public at 9:30 a.m. Admission is good for one day of the event, please check the event schedule, which is a general guide and subject to change due to weather and number of participants.

·                   $7 for adults (18 and older)

·                   $3 for youths (7 – 17)

·                   Children 6 and under are free

·                   Tickets may be purchased at the gates only

·                   No senior or group discounts

·                   Press passes are available with prior arrangements

·                   BBHC Members receive $1 discount on admission price each day with a valid membership card

Visitors are welcome to bring chairs or blankets for our outdoor, grass ampitheater. Please—no pets. For travel and lodging information contact the Cody Chamber of Commerce. For questions about visiting the Buffalo Bill Historical Center contact Nancy McClure at 307.578.4102, email nancym@bbhc.org.

For Our Dancers

2012 officials and invited drums will be announed in the spring. Dancers and their families recieve a free pass to the Buffalo Bill Historical Center exhibits at dancer registration. Registration 8 a.m. – noon Saturday; late registration or for specials on stage both days. Contact: Rebecca at 307.578.4049, email rebeccaw@bbhc.org.

Dance Categories and Schedule of Events

Competitive dance categories include men's and women's traditional and fancy, women's jingle, men's grass, and men's and women's golden age. Several special are yet to be announced.

·                   Adults (18 – 54) & Golden Age

·                   Teens (13 – 17)

·                   Boys & Girls (7 – 12)

·                   Team Dancing Special

Vendor Information

The Powwow welcomes vendors who are selling arts and crafts made by enrolled members of North American Indian tribes and Nations. No food booths please. For more information on vendor spaces, e-mail Rebecca West or call 307.578.4049.

Free screening of "Out in the Silence" tonight in Laramie

From Jeran Artery at Wyoming Equality:

The American Civil Liberties Union of Wyoming is proud to partner with Wyoming Equality to present a film screening of Out in the Silence, followed by a discussion about Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender (LGBT) issues in Wyoming. The aim of this event is to expand public awareness about the difficulties that LGBT people face in Wyoming, and to promote dialogue and action that will help people on all sides of the issues find common ground.

This event is free and open to the public.

ABOUT THE FILM: Out in the Silence captures the remarkable chain of events that unfold when the announcement of filmmaker Joe Wilson’s wedding to another man ignites a firestorm of controversy in his small Pennsylvania hometown. Wilson’s journey dramatically illustrates the universal challenges of being an outsider in a conservative environment and the transformation that is possible when those who have long been constrained by a traditional code of silence summon the courage to break it.

Nomination deadline is Oct. 7 for 2011 Governor's Arts Awards

The Wyoming Arts Council is accepting nominations for the 2011 Governor’s Arts Awards, an annual honor presented to citizens, organizations, businesses or communities in The Equality State that make substantial contributions to the arts.

The awards are presented based on accomplishments that reflect substantial contributions made to the arts in Wyoming, and exemplify a long-term commitment to the arts. Nominations must be postmarked no later than October 7, 2011.

To request a nomination form, selection criteria and a list of previous Governor’s Arts Awards recipients, contact the Wyoming Arts Council office at 307-777-7742, or via email at evangeline.bratton@wyo.gov. Forms may also be accessed on the Arts Council’s web site http://www.wyomingartscouncil.org

Previous Governor’s Arts Award recipients are not eligible; however, nomination of previously unselected nominees is encouraged.

Established in 1982, the Governor’s Arts Awards recognize excellence in the arts or outstanding service to the arts in Wyoming. These awards were first made possible by an endowment from the Union Pacific Foundation in honor of Mrs. John U. Loomis, a life-long patron of the arts.

Over the years, individuals and organizations from throughout Wyoming have been honored for their dedication to the arts in Wyoming. This year is the 30th anniversary of these prestigious awards. This year’s recipients will be honored at a dinner and awards ceremony in Cheyenne on February 24, 2012.

Through the Governor’s Arts Awards and its many other program, the Wyoming Arts Council fulfills its mission to enhance the quality of life for the people of Wyoming by providing resources to sustain, promote and cultivate the arts.

Cody Institute awards resident fellowship to Gregory Hinton for "Out West at the BBHC"

Wyomingarts wrote in the spring about Gregory Hinton’s project, Beyond Brokeback. UW Theatre and Dance Professor John J. O'Hagan directed a one-hour staged reading of Beyond Brokeback for the 15^th annual Shepard Symposium on Social Justice on April 8 at UW in Laramie.

Beyond Brokeback was adapted for the stage by Hinton from the book Beyond Brokeback: Impact of a Film written by Members of the Ultimate Brokeback Forum, a web community which formed in the aftermath of the release of the award-winning film, Brokeback Mountain. The story was written by Wyoming author Annie Proulx. It was first published in The New Yorker and was in her book Close Range: Wyoming Stories.

The Ultimate Brokeback Forum, comprised of people from all walks of life -- country, city, gay, straight, men, women, young, old -- received over 500,000 posts in the first year. Excerpts of essays, poetry and music inspired by the film was presented along with the song "Meet Me on the Mountain," written by noted composer Shawn Kirchner. 

Beyond Brokeback was originally performed at the Autry National Center Museum of the American West in Los Angeles on December 11, 2010, in commemoration of the fifth anniversary of Ang Lee's seminal western film, Brokeback Mountain. 


Greg Hinton will be bringing his expertise to his hometown of Cody this fall. He sent this news release:

I am very proud to announce that the Cody Institute of Western American Studies at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Cody has selected me for a Resident Fellowship for my abstract "Out West at the Buffalo Bill Historical Center."  

 “Telling stories, sharing culture, and staking claim to the mother lode of Western American history for all diverse cultures is the mission of Out West. In particular, scholarship before the twentieth century in the area of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender western studies is incomplete and therefore underserved. A survey of the hidden histories of these communities through the examination of the vast assets of the Buffalo Bill Historical Center will lay an important foundation for future scholars in this unique, fascinating, and expanding area of Western American Studies." 

This award was highly competitive and I am honored and frankly humbled to be included. I hope to take my residency in November/December of 2011 and report my findings with an article and/or documentary and a public presentation in the fall of 2012. I am particularly grateful to the Autry National Center for their early generosity and vision. Thanks to you all for your interest and encouragement in the Mission of Out West.

New bronze at Historic Cheyenne Depot celebrates Wyoming's history as "The Equality State"

A new bronze statue by Veryl Goodnight, "A New Beginning," will be dedicated Wednesday (today) at 3 p.m., at the Historic Cheyenne Depot. The event is free and open to the public. The artist will be at the ceremony. Her work often celebrates the West and has been displayed all over the world. She has created 20 different "Women of the West" bronzes since 1984. Goodnight lives in Mancos, Colo., and shows her work at the Goodnight Trail Gallery of Western Art.

Read the entire article and see a photo of the sculpture at New bronze statue at depot honors early pioneer women - Wyoming Tribune Eagle Online

People First Language offers humane ways to refer to members of the nation's largest minority group

This article comes from the spring 2011 Wyoming Arts Council Artscapes newsletter set for an April 29 pub date. It was contributed by WAC staffer Marirose Morris. As Arts Access Specialist, Marirose oversees several grant programs and 504/ADA guidelines. Contact her at the WAC at 307-777-7742.

A person’s self-image is tied to the words used about him/her. People First Language was started by individuals who said, “We are not our disabilities!”

People First Language puts the person before the disability, and describes what a person has, not who a person is. Are you “cancerous” or do you have cancer? Is a person “handicapped/disabled” or does he/she “have a disability?” Using a diagnosis as a defining characteristic reflects prejudice, and robs the person of the opportunity to define him/herself.

People with disabilities comprise the nation’s largest minority group. It is also the most inclusive: all ages, genders, religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic levels are represented, and anyone can join it, at any time.

Say:	Instead of:
Children/adults with a disability	Handicapped, disabled, special needs
S/he has a cognitive disability	S/he is mentally retarded
S/he has Down syndrome	S/he’s mongoloid/Down’s
S/he has autism	An autistic person
S/he has a learning disability	S/he is learning disabled
S/he is deaf	The deaf
S/he has a speech disorder	Mute
S/he is blind, has a visual impairment	The blind
S/he has epilepsy	An epileptic
S/he uses a wheelchair	Wheelchair bound
S/he walks with a assistive device	A cripple
S/he is a little person	Dwarf or midget
People without disabilities	Normal or healthy people
Accessible parking, hotel rooms, etc.	Handicapped parking, hotel rooms, etc.

Islamic Cultural Awareness Week April 13-15 at UW

From a University of Wyoming press release:

Comedy, prayer and table tennis are among activities scheduled to celebrate Islamic Cultural Awareness Week April 13-15 at the University of Wyoming, sponsored by the UW Muslim Student Association.

The schedule:

Wednesday, April 13, 5:45-7:45 p.m. -- "Why Do We Love Jesus?" speaker from Colorado in the Wyoming Union Ballroom. Pizza will be provided.

Thursday, April 14, 8 p.m. -- Comedy show "Allah Made Me Funny" in Room 103 of the Classroom Building. Pizza will be provided.

Friday, April 15, 12:30 p.m. -- Friday prayer on campus in Room 123 of Coe Library. Snacks will be provided.

Friday, April 15, 5 p.m. -- Ping pong competition in the Wyoming Union basement, with awards given to the top three places. To sign-up or get more info, email Mahmoud at malkahlo@uwyo.edu or Ammad at  aamad@hotmail.com . Registration ends at noon Wednesday, April 13.

Award-winning "Kicked Out" features foreword by Casper's Judy Shepard

Casper's Judy Shepard wrote the foreword to the new anthology edited by Sassafras Lowrey, "Kicked Out." Last night, the book received a major literary award. Here's info from Lowrey's web site:

Last night Kicked Out received a HUGE honor and was not only included in the American Library Association’s Over the Rainbow booklist for 2011, but was also included in their Top 11 books of 2011!    Being included is a tremendous honor, and one which will help get Kicked Out into even more libraries across the country, and thus the hands of folks who need its messages the most. You can see all the books included in the top 11 as well as the full Over the Rainbow book list here

I’m so grateful to the American Library Association’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table and its Jurors  for honoring Kicked Out.

Here's a description from the book jacket:

In the U.S., 40% of homeless youth identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer (LGBTQ). Kicked Out brings together the voices of current and former homeless LGBTQ youth and tells the forgotten stories of some of our nation’s most vulnerable citizens. Diverse contributors share stories of survival and abuse with poignant accounts of the sanctuary of community and the power of creating chosen families. Kicked Out highlights the nuanced perspectives of national organizations such as The National Gay & Lesbian Task Force and The National Alliance Against Homelessness and regional agencies, including Sylvia’s Place, The Circus Project and Family Builders. This anthology, introduced by Judy Shepard, gives voice to the voiceless and challenges the stereotypical face of homelessness. To learn more, visit us online at KickedOutAnthology.com

Cody native Gregory Hinton interviewed on NPR about his "Out West" series at the Autry Museum

This info on the Autry Museum's "Beyond Brokeback" and other offerings in its "Out West" series comes from Wyoming native Gregory Hinton:

Below is a link to our L.A. National Public Radio affiliate which has an interview of me about Out West and includes a copy of the speech I gave for our first event. This might be of interest to you if you wish to reprint it. It mentions Ucross, my Wyoming history, and includes a nice quote from Al Simpson and Annie Proulx. You should also be aware that my interview with Brian Kahn on Yellowstone Public Radio's Home Ground is being aired tomorrow at 6:30 and will be available on podcast.

http://www.scpr.org/news/2009/12/10/out-west-series-autry-national-center/

http://www.yellowstonepublicradio.org/programs/local/home_ground.html 

Fore! Illustrator Zak Pullen's very busy September

Fans of Zachary Pullen's character-based illustrations will have two occasions to hear him speak -- and view his work -- during the next two weeks.

The Ned and Barbara Murray Art Series at Laramie County Community College in Cheyenne is sponsoring an exhibit of Zak's work Sept. 15-Oct. 15. The show will be in the Esther and John Clay Fine Arts Gallery. Zak will talk about his work at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 15, in the Fine Arts Building, Room 113. A reception follows at 8 p.m. in the gallery. All events are free and open to the public.

On Friday and Saturday, Sept. 24-25, Zak will participate in the Equality State Book Festival in his hometown of Casper. During the day on Friday, Zak will visit Natrona County Schools along with fellow bookfest presenters Gene Gagliano, Ray Troll and Jacko Gantos. That evening, the bookfest co-sponsors an author and illustrator reception at Zak's Corridor Gallery, 120 E. 2nd St., 5:30-7 p.m. A free event, with fine art and hors d’oeuvres and lively conversation.

On Saturday, Zak, Ray Troll and Russell Hawley will participate in an illustrators panel: “Drawn In: Get Interested in Illustration!” This free event is 10 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in the Nichols Auditorium, McMurry Career Studies Bldg., Room 160. Zak will join other authors at a book signing from 5-5:45 p.m. that day in the Strausner Student Center at Casper College.

FMI: http://www.zacharypullen.com/ and http://www.equalitystatebookfest.com/ and http://www.lcccfoundation.edu/

Meet the Equality State Book Festival authors: John Vernon

Another distinguished author appearing at the Equality State Book Festival Sept. 24-25 in Casper:

John Vernon is a Massachusetts native who now lives in Colorado. He was educated at Boston College and the University of California at Davis, and has taught at the University of Utah and Binghamton University (S.U.N.Y.) He is the author of eleven books, including the book of poems Ann, the memoir A Book of Reasons, and the novels La Salle, Lindbergh's Son, Peter Doyle, All for Love: Baby Doe and Silver Dollar, The Last Canyon, and Lucky Billy. His work has appeared in Harper's, Poetry, American Poetry Review, The Nation, The Los Angeles Times, The New York Times Book Review, and many other magazines, journals, and newspapers. Two of his books have been named New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and he has been awarded two National Endowment for the Arts grants.

Vernon is the 21st faculty member at Binghamton University to be named a Distinguished Professor and now teaches there each spring semester. For the rest of the year, he lives in the mountains of northern Colorado and combines a routine of writing and mountain climbing. In Colorado, he is also affiliated with the Center of the American West at the University of Colorado in Boulder.

John Vernon will be on stage for “Imagining Billy the Kid: A Reading from Lucky Billy” on Friday, Sept. 24, 7:30-8:30 p.m., in the Aley Fine Arts Center Durham Hall at Casper College. The event is free and open to the public. Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Novelist Larry Watson at Equality State Bookfest

Larry Watson is one of the many fine writers who will participate in the Equality State Book Festival in Casper Sept. 24-25. All bookfest events are free except for the Friday night banquet.

Larry Watson received his BA and MA from the University of North Dakota, and his Ph.D. from the University of Utah.

He is the author of In A Dark Time, Montana 1948, Justice, White Crosses, Laura, Orchard, Sundown, Yellow Moon, and American Boy (forthcoming 2011), and the chapbook of poetry Leaving Dakota. Watson’s fiction has been published in more than a dozen foreign editions, and has received prizes and awards from Milkweed Press, Friends of American Writers, Mountain and Plains Booksellers Association, New York Public Library, Wisconsin Library Association, and Critics’ Choice. Montana 1948 was nominated for the first IMPAC Dublin international literary prize. Four of his books have been optioned for film.

His short stories and poems have appeared in Gettysburg Review, New England Review, North American Review, Mississippi Review, and other literary magazines. His essays and book reviews have appeared in the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Sun-Times, the Washington Post, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and other periodicals and anthologies. Watson has received two writing fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts.

Watson taught writing and literature at the University of Wisconsin/Stevens Point for many years and is presently a Visiting Professor of English at Marquette University. He has also taught in the low-residency MFA program at Warren Wilson College and he was the Ebey Visiting Writer at Colorado College.

He and his wife Susan live in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They have two daughters, Elly and Amy, and two grandchildren, Theodore and Abigail.

2010 Equality State Book Festival set for Casper College Sept. 24-25

In case you haven't heard, the Equality State Book Festival will be held Sept. 24-25 at Casper College. Here are some details from the bookfest web site:

In 2006, the first statewide book festival, The Equality State Book Festival, was held in Casper. Four years later with two book fests now under our belts, we proudly mark the 24th anniversary of the Annual Casper College/ARTCORE Literary Conference by once again celebrating books, authors and the written word in Wyoming with two days of fun in Casper, September 24-25. We hope you will join us for readings, panel discussions, book signings, craft talks, a banquet and a late-night poetry slam. All events are open to the public without charge except for the banquet.

This year we will feature around 15 authors and illustrators, including but not limited to, Jack Gantos, Larry Watson, Jaimee Wriston Colbert, Zak Pullen, Gene Gagliano, Ravi Shankar and John Vernon. Wyoming Arts Council fellowship judge, Lee Gutkind, and three fellowship winners who will be announced later this summer, will join us for readings as well. Nina McConigley, Honors Program instructor from the University of Wyoming, returns to Casper for the Fest where she will appear on a panel and read for us. And the ever-popular George Vlastos has agreed to emcee the poetry slam which is always a lot of fun!

Visit this page regularly to learn more about the authors and events as we will update it often during the planning process. Registration links for the banquet will be made available later this summer.

We'd like to thank the Natrona County Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) for their early, generous support, as well as UW/CC and the English department at the University of Wyoming. Funding sources we will be applying to include the Casper College Foundation, Casper Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, Natrona County School District, Wyoming Arts Council, The Wyoming Community Foundation, The Wyoming Cultural Trust, Kinder Morgan and the Rocky Mountain Power Foundation. Finally, we'd like to express our appreciation to Casper College and ARTCORE for over two decades of steady support for an annual literary conference in Casper.

Laurie Lye and Holly Wendt, Co-directors, ESBF